Improvement in grain-separators



UNITED STATES PAT NT OFFICE.

CHARLES G. STOLL AND WILLIAM STOLL, OF EAST NEW YORK, .N. Y., ASSIGNORSTO CHARLES C. STOLL, OF SAME PLACE.

- IMPROVEMENT IN GRAlN-SEPARATORS.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 54,263. dated April 24,1866.

To all whom it may concern:

Be itknown that we, CHARLES Gr. SELOLL and WILLIAM S'roLL, of East NewYork, in the county'of Kings and State of New York, have invented a newand Improved Machine for Separating Grain, 85c. and we do hereby declarethat the following is a full, clear, and exact description thereof,which will enable those skilled in the art to make and use the same,reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of thisspecification, in which Figure 1 represents a longitudinal verticalsection of this invention, the line w m, Fig. 3, indicating the plane ofsection. Fig. 2 is a transverse vertical section of the same, the line yy, Fig. 3, indicating the plane of section. Fig. 3 is a plan or top viewof the same, partly in section.

Similar letters of reference indicate corresponding parts.

This invention consists in arranging the fair which serves to throw airunder the separating-sieve in a closedbox, to which the airpasses frombelow in such amanner thatthe air thrown into the separator iscomparatively pure and free from the dust which contaminates the airabove the separator. Said fan-box communicates with the space below theseparatingsieve through a series of openings which are opened orclosedby suitable gates, and which lead into closed compartments under thesieve,intended to receive the grain or other material as the samedischarges from the sieve, said compartments being provided withadjustable loaded or spring valves, which do not allow the contentsthereof to discharge until the air has attained a certain pressuresuitable to produce the desired efiect on the grain or other material tobe separated. Each compartment is provided with an adjustable partition,the positionof which is indicated by an index and scale on the outsideof the box containing the sieve. By adjusting these partitions thematerial discharging into each compartment can be separated according tothe difference in its specific gravity, the heavy parts passing throughthe sieve quicker than the light parts.

A hammer, which is caused to impart blows to the end of the sieve atcertain intervals,

serves to'shake up the material on said sieve and to prevent it fromchoking, and a springvalve in the side of the hopper prevents thematerial from choking up the discharge-opening and insures an even anduniform discharge in a narrow flat stream.

A represents a box, made of wood or any other suitable material, andsupported by uprights B B, which are united at top and bottom bycross-bars C C. The top edge of the box is cut olf in an inclineddirection, and it supports the shoe D, in which the sieve E is fastened.This sieve is made of three (more or less) sections of dili'erentfineness, that section on the upper end being the finest, so that grainor other material rolling down over the same is separated, according tothe difference in the specific gra 'ity of its parts, the finest andheaviest being discharged first and the lightest last. Said shoe issupported by four springs, a, of wood or any other suitable material,which are securely fastened to the uprights B B, and it (the shoe)connects by rods I) with cranks c in a shaft, 6?, so that by turningsaid shaft a recipro :ating or lateral shaking motion is imparted to thesame.

The grain or other material to be separated is conducted to the sievethrough a hopper,

e, causing the grain or other material to flow on the sievein a broadnarrow stream extend- I ing clear across said sieve, or nearly so. Oneside of this hopper forms a valve, f, which is held closed by a spring,9, thus allowing it to yield, it' a thick lump or some impurities shouldcome opposite the opening 6, and by these means a choking up of saiddischargeopeuing is prevented.

A hammer, G, is arranged opposite the lower end of the sieve, beingsuspended from a pivot in a bracket, h, secured to one of the crossbars0.

A cam, 1 which is secured to the end of a shaft, j, and which on beingrevolved with said shaft comes in contact with a nose at the upper endof the helve of the hammer, causes said hammer to rise at certainintervals and to descend with considerable force, thereby producing anend shake of the sieve, which prereceives its motion by a largeworm-wheel, k,

which gears in a worm, Z, on the blower-shaft d, said blower-shaft beingcaused to revolve by a belt stretched over a pulley, m, which is mountedon its end, and to which motion is imparted by a steam-engine,horse-power, or any other suitable motor.

The blower I, which is mounted on the shaft d, is inclosed in a. box, J,to which access is had through a covered channel, a, from below, in sucha manner that all the air which passes to the blower is taken frombelow, the air above being saturated with dust that rises from themachine, and by the action of the comparatively pure air thus injectedinto thebox A the separation ofimpurities from the grain or othermaterial is facilitated.

The box I communicates with the boxA by three (more or less) apertures,0, which are adjustable, or which can be opened or closed by 7 means ofgates 19. Each of the apertures 0 communicates with one of thecompartments or chambers q into which the box'A is divided up bypartitions 8. Each of these compartments corresponds in size andposition to one of the sections of the sieve E, and each c0111- partmentis also provided with an adjustable valve or partition, 1', secured to arock-shaft which has its hearings in the sides of the box A. On theouter end of each rock'shaft is mounted an index, a, which travels overa suitable scale, by means of which the position. of the partition orvalve can be determined without opening the box A. The object of thesemovable partitions is to separate the grain or other material passinginto one of the compartments, according to its fineness or specificgravity. If the adjustable partition in one of said compartments isplaced in a vertical position, the quantity of grain or other materialcollecting in this particular compartment is divided in two equal parts,that portion in the upper half of the compartment be- Y ing somewhatfiner than that in the lower compartment. If it is desired to obtain alarger quantity in the upper part of the compartment, the adjustablepartition is turned down toward the lowest end of the sieve, and if itis desired to obtain the largest quantity in the lower part of thecompartment, the adjustable partition is inclined upward toward thehighest part of the sieve. By this arrangement the operator is enabledto obtain six different grades of fineness if the box A is divided intothree compartments, and the quantity collecting in each portion of theseveral compartments can be'regulated at pleasure.

Each of the compartments or chambers q of the box A is provided with twovalves, 1;, one on either side of the movable partition, and thesevalves are closed by weights or springs, which are so adjusted that theydo not open until a certain quantity of material has accumulated onthem. By this arrangement the air acting on the grain or other materialto be separated preserves a certain pressure and its full benefit isobtained. By adjusting the weights or springs acting on the valves thepressure of the air obtaining in the chamber can be regulated to suitthe material to be separated, the sieve being placed on the box A, sothat the air forced into said box is compelled to pass through theapertures in the sieve to act with its full force on the material whichpasses down over said sieve. I

What we claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

1. The combination of the sieve E with the closed box A and fan-blowerI, or other equivalent device, substantially as described, so that theair forced into said box has no way to escape except through theapertures in the sieve, and it is compelled to act on the materialplaced on said sieve with its full force.

2. The yielding spring-valvef, in combination with the long narrowdischarge-opening in the bottom of the hopper, and with the sieve E,constructed and operating substantially as and for the purpose setforth.

3. The closed box J, to which the air has access from below, incombination with the fan I, box A, and sieve E, constructed andoperating substantially as and for the purpose described.

4. The adjustable valves or partitions 1' in the compartments q of thebox A, in combination with the sieve E, constructed and operatingsubstantially as and for the purpose set forth.

5. The air-valves v o in the bottom of the box A, in combination withthe blower and sieve, constructed and operating substantially as and forthe purpose described.

CHARLES G. STOLL.

WM. STOLL. Witnesses:

M. M. LIVINGSTON, 0. L. TOPLIFF.

